A WINSFORD town councillor is hopeful that residents with leasehold homes will achieve justice.

The Leasehold Reform Bill was introduced to parliament on November 7 which aims to cap the total fee for a freehold and introduce a compensation scheme for people who have been misled.

Cllr Gina Lewis has been an ardent opponent of leasehold homes and believes that parliamentary support is a step in the right direction.

She said: “This is positive for residents in Winsford who have been left at a significant disadvantage.

“It’s important because the bill not only seeks to support prospective homeowners but also to those who have already been affected by it.

“Anything to do with parliament always takes time, I’m not expecting things to move quickly but this is an issue that has support from all parties as well as the Secretary of State.

“More than 3,500 will be built in Winsford with the vast majority of them leasehold so this is a huge problem that needs to be addressed.

“It angers me because the vast majority of the companies that own these freeholds are based offshore. That means they are not contributing to society and are misleading homeowners. It is a double whammy.

“I am optimistic about the result and look forward to further progress.”

Leasehold properties have been referred to as a 'scandal' by politicians due to the restrictions they place on buyers who want to make amendments to their homes in the future.

The bill will have its second reading on Friday, February 2 2018.